This nonprovisional application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. xc2xa7 119(a) on patent application Ser. No. 2001-250576 filed in Japan on Aug. 21, 2001, the entirety of which is herein incorporated by reference.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a motorcycle, and more particularly to a tail lamp structure for a motorcycle.
2. Description of the Background Art
Tail lamp structures for motorcycles have been described, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 5-278655, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The tail lamp structures of this type are generally configured such that a tail lamp, e.g., that lights up for signifying the presence of the motorcycle to a vehicle running behind the motorcycle, and a brake lamp, e.g., that lights up for signifying a braking operation of the motorcycle, light up through the use of a common bulb provided in a single lamp cover.
Tail lamp structures for motorcycles of another type have been disclosed, for example, in Japanese Patent Laid-open No. Hei 8-40329, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. The tail lamp structures for motorcycles of this type are configured such that a tail lamp and a brake lamp are provided with separate bulbs. The brake lamp is generally disposed on an upper portion of the tail lamp structure and the tail lamp is disposed under the brake lamp.
In the aforementioned tail lamp structures, each of the tail lamp and the brake lamp light ups by using a bulb. Therefore, the required size of the tail lamp structure is relatively large and the design of the tail lamp and its vicinity at a rear end portion of a rear cowl is thereby limited. The enlargement of a tail lamp structure disposed inside a rear end portion of a rear cowl makes it difficult to achieve a thin light design for a tail lamp. In particular, the above-described tail lamp structure of the type relying upon a tail lamp and a brake lamp using different bulbs significantly limits the size and structure of the tail lamp and its vicinity.
The present invention overcomes the shortcomings associated with the background art and achieves other advantages not realized by the background art.
An object of the present invention is to provide a tail lamp structure for a motorcycle that is capable of sufficiently ensuring a lighting area of a brake lamp even if the tail lamp structure is disposed inside a rear end portion of a rear cowl.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a tail lamp structure having a shape whose lateral width becomes narrow toward an upper end of the rear cowl.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a tail lamp structure including a tail lamp and a brake lamp separately provided, wherein the thickness of each of the lamps in the vertical direction is made relatively thin for miniaturizing the entire tail lamp structure.
An additional object of the present applicant is to provide a tail lamp and a brake lamp made up of an array(s) of a plurality of LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes). The present inventors have determined that the use of LEDs is effective to make each of the tail lamp, the brake lamp and the rear end portion of the rear cowl relatively thin and compact.
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a brake lamp disposed on an upper portion of the tail lamp structure and the tail lamp under the brake lamp in accordance with the same manner as the above-described systems of the background art. However, the present invention seeks to avoid the problem of failing to provide a brake lamp disposed on the upper side with sufficient lighting area.
One or more of these and other objects are accomplished by a tail lamp structure for a motorcycle, the tail lamp structure comprising a tail lamp unit having an upper tail lamp portion and a lower tail lamp portion; a rear cowl having a rear end portion and an upper end, the rear end portion having a tapered shape with a lateral width narrowing toward the upper end of the rear cowl; and a tail lamp being disposed in the upper tail lamp portion and a brake lamp being disposed in the lower tail lamp portion.
One or more of these and other objects are further accomplished by a tail lamp structure for a motorcycle having a first rear fender and a second rear fender, wherein the second rear fender is mounted to a rear portion of the first rear fender, the tail lamp structure comprising a tail lamp unit having an upper tail lamp portion and a lower tail lamp portion; a rear cowl having a rear end portion and an upper end, the rear end portion having a tapered shape with a lateral width narrowing toward the upper end of the rear cowl; and a tail lamp being disposed in the upper tail lamp portion and a brake lamp being disposed in the lower tail lamp portion; and a pair of left and right rear blinkers mounted to a boundary portion between the first rear fender and the second rear fender.
Since the tail lamp is disposed on an upper portion of the tail lamp structure and the brake lamp is disposed under the tail lamp, even if the tail lamp structure is disposed inside the rear end portion of the rear cowl, e.g., the portion having a shape whose lateral width becomes narrow toward an upper end of the rear cowl, it is possible to ensure a sufficient lighting area of the brake lamp.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.